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Though a big part of my job is creating editorial shoots, to be honest, I’d take a real wedding over a “faux” one any day. There’s just something about the joy, love, and ease at a real celebration that’s hard to replicate! That’s exactly why I love the photos we’re sharing today, however. Even though though no one actually said “I do” on the day they were taken, they’re undeniably full of joy and make me smile just to look at them. I hope they do the same for you!

Hugs to Anna Smith for these photos and Keestone Events for styling the details!

From the planner:

The concept behind this styled shoot was to create a mix of both vintage and Southern elements, with a whole lot of charm thrown in. The bride is someone who grew up with horses and is an equestrian. Incorporating her horses into the shoot was an absolute must, as they have been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. Movement was a big theme in the shoot, from the soft grass blowing in the wind to the airiness of the bride’s dress. Watters did a fabulous job here, pairing two separate pieces into one ethereal, dreamy dress! We really wanted to showcase how agile yet majestic the horses are, and to bring the entire shoot back to nature. The venue we were at, Big Sky, was perfect, as it has acres and acres of fields as far as the eye can see! We wanted to keep the color palette soft and muted to let the couple and their horses speak for themselves.

Photography: Anna Smith Photography | Design and Coordination: Keestone Events | Venue: Big Sky Event Hall | Fashion: Watters | Florals: Lizzie Bee’s Flower Shoppe | Vintage Rentals: Rent My Dust | Hair + Make Up: Q Make Up Artist | Stationary: Art by Ellie | Wedding Cake: Sugar Bee Sweets | Horses: Rush Ranch (private)

Sugar Bee Sweets is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

emily Written with love by Emily
2 Comments
  1. avatar Rita Miller Dorris reply

    Thank you for featuring this beautiful shoot. We are so proud and honored to be a part of it.

  2. avatar Gee | KnotsVilla Wedding Blog reply

    That dress is perfection! Never has a backless dress looked so elegant to me!

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We believe in planning a deeply meaningful beginning to married life, and we love to see couples who feel the same. Molly and Josh’s sweet wedding day is filled with beautiful, yet completely personal details. The two were married in the middle of the giant pecan orchard where Molly has spent hours and hours riding the very same horse that carried her to her groom on her wedding day. They included a selection of Molly’s late grandmother’s favorite hymns within their ceremony, and even rode their prized ponies to their reception at her family’s farm. Topping off their day, “Pop” (Molly’s grandfather), surprised them with a memorable fireworks display!

Thanks to Ashlee Culverhouse for these sweet photos! P.S. See Ashlee’s own wedding on our site here!

Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I borrowed my MeMa’s pearl earrings from my mother – something old and borrowed. My oldest sister, Ashlee, embroidered the most beautiful blue horseshoe on the underside of my dress, and I had a new, sparkling dress, of course!

Our venues are part of my heart and soul. Josh and I were married in the middle of a giant pecan orchard, the same orchard I spent hours riding through in middle school, high school, and college on the very same horse that carried me to my groom. Our reception was held on my parents’ farm in the middle of my mare’s pasture. My horses were pastured right next to the tent and received all the apples and carrots they could have ever wanted. Every time I go ‘home,’ I think about all the fun we had that night. Those memories will forever be just a few steps away.

Two family friends designed Molly and Josh’s flowers, using dahlias, peonies, succulents, ferns, roses, lilies, berries, Queen Anne’s lace, and tulips! “I don’t know how they did it, but they did it flawlessly! My flowers were by far one of my favorite things,” said Molly.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? Absolutely. I wanted to get all of our pictures together and our family pictures done so that we could spend as much time as possible at our reception. We also gathered the bridal party and a few others at the house between the ceremony and reception to watch the Kentucky Derby – it’s important to get your priorities straight!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. As guests arrived, my violinist played a number of hymns that were provided to me by my MeMa. She was something special, and ever since she passed away, I wanted her to be included somehow in my wedding. While we were going through some of her things, we found a list of her favorite hymns, and I knew that was exactly what I wanted for the prelude. My absolute favorite movie in this entire world is The Man From Snowy River, so my bridesmaids walked down the aisle to Jessica’s Theme: “Breaking in the Colt.”

Between the hustle and bustle of everyone driving from the ceremony site to the reception, Josh and I were together, riding horses back to my parents farm. It’s a little more than a mile between the sites, and our time together was relaxing and beautiful. I am so lucky that my two most prized ponies were able to be a part of our wedding.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I loved every single thing about our wedding: the flowers, the horseshoe boxes, the kids roping the straw calves, my horses being a part of everything, and the band! If I had to have just ONE favorite, it would have to be my steed, Flint, carrying me to the ceremony. He was a perfect gentleman, and I couldn’t have dreamed of anything more magical. Also, a pretty memorable detail was the HUGE fireworks show that my grandfather, Pop, surprised us with. He has since passed away, and that was such a special moment for us to share with him.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. First, I must preface our first meeting with the first time I ever saw Josh. It was October of 2007 at the Georgia National Fair and he was the front and center act of the hypnosis show. I was in the audience and was smitten by his good looks and funny personality, even recording small video clips of him the whole show! In May of 2008, I came home for the summer and picked up my normal summer job at the local veterinary office. I was walking dogs outside the first time I ever saw him. After weeks of pondering, I asked him if he happened to be in the hypnosis show at the fair. It was him! I showed him all the videos I had taken of him and was sure I had scared him off. We started eating lunch together every day, and then we fell in love!
Tell us all about the proposal! My sister was scheduled to have her baby on a Sunday in Chattanooga. I made plans to go up with my mom for the weekend, and decided spur of the moment that I wanted to go see Taylor Swift that Saturday in Nashville. I bought the tickets and immediately called to ask Josh if he wanted to go. He did, so the next day we headed to Nashville. I wanted to walk downtown and take in all the pre-concert activities that were going on, but Josh wanted to get away from all of the people and get something to eat. We finally we settled on a roadside hotdog stand off the beaten path and headed toward a place to sit that Josh spotted up the road. I quickly scarfed my hotdog while taking in the garden around us. When I turned back around, Josh was holding the most perfect diamond ring in his hand and said, “Are you ready?!” Between my, “is that real?” “are you serious?” and “am I ready for what??” he got down on his knee and I said YES.
When did y’all get married? June 7, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 210
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. I love red velvet, and I would not go any other way. My husband is more of a traditional fellow. He goes into a coma when he eats my mom’s Chocolate Groom’s Cake, and, as expected, he chose it for our wedding day, too.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Do what YOU want to do! I did everything exactly how I wanted to do it, and I don’t regret a single thing! I am so grateful for all the helping hands that helped me build my vision on that day. Spend more money on what is most important to you.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? The thing I looked, and still look, forward to every day is seeing him when I get home from work. We were long distance for over five of the six years that we dated, and I can FINALLY come home to him every single day!

Photographer: Ashlee Culverhouse Photo / Videographer: Perry Swanson / Ceremony Venue: Big Indian Creek Farm / Reception Venue: White House Farm / Florist and Special Details: Karen Freeman & Linda Troxel / Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker:Jan McCord / Caterer: Pat Coody, In Good Taste Catering / Rentals and Lighting: Tent-sational Events and Taylor Services / Band: Celebration Band / Paper Products: Created by Ben Freeman and Printed by FastSigns / Bride’s Gown: “D1410” by Essense of Australia / Bride’s Hair Accessories/Veil/Jewelry: Erica Koesler / Hair Stylist: Katie Freeman Owen / Makeup Artist: Linsey McCord Freeman / Bride’s Shoes: “Heritage Western X Toe” by Ariat / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Heidi, Arabelle, Kylie, Nadia and Mirabelle” by J.Crew / Groom’s and Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank / Director: Cindi Holly / Additional Vendors: The Melon Vine and The Something Blue Shoppe / Ceremony Musician: Baylee Culverhouse / Officiant: Jim Hamlin

marissa Written with love by Marissa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Occasions In Print reply

    Just love this wedding! They did western perfectly!

  2. avatar Abby reply

    You can feel the bride’s spunk jumping out of the pictures! LOVE the horses and all he personal touches. What a memorable day!

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After a serendipitous meeting on a cruise ship, Jeni and Adam knew there was something special between them. So special, in fact, that just three weeks after their vacations, Jeni flew to Oklahoma to see Adam, and they began a long-distance relationship. Over the next year, Jeni and Adam not only fell in love with each other, Jeni also fell in love with Oklahoma, so when given the opportunity, she decided to take a chance on what she and Adam had by moving cross country. A few years later, charming country details, a rustic venue, and plenty of hospitality gave Jeni’s family a lovely introduction to the Southern state Jeni and Adam had made their home, and the celebration couldn’t have been sweeter!

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor, Amanda Watson, for sharing this lovely wedding with us!

My mom flew out to Oklahoma City from San Diego to go dress shopping with me. We went to three different boutiques and had a great experience at each of them, complete with champagne and oversized mirrors, but by the end of the day, I become somewhat discouraged because no one dress seemed to be perfect for me. After I tried on the last dress that I had picked out, my stylist, Christina, said she had one more that may fit my desires. I wasn’t too impressed when I saw it on the hanger, but when I came out of the dressing room, we all knew it was the ONE!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? I wanted to give my family (who is mainly from California) the perfect Oklahoma experience. We wanted a venue that was country, but also clean and romantic. We searched for weeks and visited so many, but when we pulled up to the Tatanka Ranch, we knew it was perfect. My whole family was able to stay on the ranch for the entire weekend, which made it feel like a family reunion. It was in a perfect central location in Oklahoma too, so none of our local guests had to drive more than an hour.

Our entire wedding had a rustic, country theme that highlighted the natural beauty of Oklahoma. The field we got married in, the boots we all wore, the oversized barn doors draped in white fabric, the homestyle food we served, the horses all around us…all of it made for the perfect Southern wedding.

What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy every minute, because no matter how long your engagement seems, time goes by so quickly. Also, spoil your bridesmaids and your parents–they deserve it.

Don’t miss Jeni + Adam’s wedding highlights by Glorious Day Films!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. In May 2011, my mom and I took off for the California coast for a “girls trip” to Cabo San Lucas and Puerta Vallarta. Along with his parents and older brother, Adam also set out on a trip to visit Los Angeles and Hollywood. After seeing the sights of Southern California, we boarded the same Carnival cruise ship. We were introduced to one another on the cruise ship deck (the seas of Mexico are quite romantic!). We spent the rest of the trip together, and started making plans to see each other afterwards–I was finishing school in Tucson, Arizona, and Adam in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Three weeks later, I took my first trip to Oklahoma, and after a year of long distance, I moved to central Oklahoma to pursue graduate school and love.
Tell us all about the proposal! We made plans to attend our first OKC Redhawks game of the season together. The day of the game, we walked around Downtown OKC Bricktown and had lunch at a local taco shop. With sunny skies above, we finished lunch and made our way to the Redhawks stadium across the street, but first, we stopped at the fountain to take a photo. After asking my brother, Jake, to take the picture, we posed and Jake counted to three. On three, Adam dropped to one knee and asked for my hand in marriage. Jake caught the whole experience on video.
When did y’all get married? May 17, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 140
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We did do a first look because we wanted to maximize our time together on our special day. We don’t like hearing that first looks are “untraditional” because that time together really did ease our nerves out before the ceremony, and even more so, it gave us the most romantic time between the two of us, where our photographer captured some of our favorite photos. We were never rushed for time, we were able to enjoy each other all dressed up, and we were able to savor every minute.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We were honest with vendors about our budget from day one. Every single one of them worked with us and found a package that fit our budget and needs. We were very blessed in that regard.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Growing closer to God, together. We are so excited about everything that comes along with being married and spending forever with one another–growing our family, setting and achieving goals, serving our communities, traveling, and making memories.

Photographer: Amanda Watson Photography / Videographer: Glorious Day Films / Venue, Catering, and Lighting: The Tatanka Ranch / Florist: Emerson Events / Cake Baker: Rosebeary Design / Rentals: Marianne’s Rentals / Music: Xcell Productions / Paper Products: Unhinged Designs / Makeup Artist: Regina Rodriguez / Bride’s Shoes: Old Gringo Boots / Men’s Attire: Perry Ellis

Amanda Watson is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Jeni & Adam – Southern Weddings reply

    […] What better way to kick off the new blog than with a featured wedding?! We were so blessed to be a part of Jeni & Adam’s big day and are proud to have it featured over on Southern Weddings, see the feature here: https://southernweddings.com /2014/09/25/oklahoma-wedding-by-amanda-watson/ […]

  2. avatar Loverly reply

    Love the green truck! It adds such a great vintage element!

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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